Restaurants

Chef Shiraiwa says that the biggest influence on his career as a chef was his experience working at Hotel Okura. "At a time when classical French cuisine was the mainstream, being able to learn about Nouvelle Cuisine, which was the cutting edge of French cuisine at the time, was a great asset," he says. Nouvelle cuisine, the origin of modern French cuisine, is influenced by Japanese cuisine, and both have a commonality in that they are rooted in local production for local consumption. Chefs visit roadside stations and agricultural stations, find vegetables and other ingredients as well as processed products made with local ingredients, try them out, and incorporate them into new menus. Whenever he comes across ingredients he doesn't know, he says it's fun to check out the taste and texture. “I am greatly inspired by the creativity of all the producers,” says Shiraiwa. Cherish the inspiration you receive from ingredients and enjoy them every day as you explore new horizons in cooking.

“Low-temperature roasted Izuka loin, budding heralding the arrival of spring, and special wasabi font.”

Gibier, cooked slowly at low temperatures, is a food unique to Izu. The course dishes change depending on the season.

*From the article “Introducing the 2020 Fujinokuni Food Capital Creation Worker Award Winners”